6,873 articles · 79 videos found · page 116 of 232
Monochrome
One of the oldest Swiss watchmaking brands (Founded in 1737 in Le Locle), Favre Leuba underwent a global relaunch in 2024 under the leadership of CEO Patrik P. Hoffmann and has since been pretty busy relaunching timepieces that honour the brand’s extensive archives while meeting contemporary mechanical expectations, all with relatively fair prices. Next to […]
Hodinkee
What We Know Last year, I wrote about Moser's interesting play in its ongoing partnership with Formula 1 team Alpine Motorsports, when it introduced a pair of Streamliners, including its first ana-digi effort in the Streamliner Mechanics Edition. Developed with Sequent, a Swiss watch brand focused on producing its own self-charging smartwatches, Moser revealed this (not self-charging) new Streamliner as a connected watch for the Alpine mechanics team. For the general public, Moser released a 500-piece run of the Mechanics Edition watch. That edition was evidently successful enough for Moser to follow up with two new references of this ana-digi Streamliner, in a collection called the Off-Grid. And yes, the irony is not lost on me that any of Moser's mechanical creations are, in principle, way more "off-grid" than a watch you need to recharge. Moser leans into that kind of stuff, and it wouldn't be surprising to me if this was at least partially tongue-in-cheek. But I digress. The Streamliner silhouette on these new Off-Grid watches, with a diameter of 42.6mm and height of 14.4mm, certainly should feel familiar at this point. The diameter seems intimidating, but there is a very compact lug-to-lug fit here, given that there are no lugs to really speak of; rather, the strap attaches directly to the case (see how it looks on my 6.5" wrist). There are two versions here, both in steel—one with a blue PVD coating and one with black. The blue PVD version, which feels much more in...
Hodinkee
Congrats on making it through another week, Baller, and your reward, sadly, is not more information about an extraordinary new Rolex, nor is it a pretty fantastic video with a legendary rapper, but instead just a quick roundup of some excellent watches out waiting for new owners. Scorekeeping last week's picks, the Smiths DeLuxe sold for 6,000 GBP, the Smiths W10 for €1,400, the Gübelin 18k triple-date moonphase remains available, the Universal Genève FS went for 600 GBP, and the Autavias sells today. Strays Photo courtesy of Drouot. If you've been holding onto an old steel chronograph pusher cap and don't know the case it works with, maybe have a look at this Heuer chronograph (presumably ref. 2444) and consider the JLC Memovox in the same lot an added bonus. Speaking of Memovox (I'm not guessing the plural of that noun), this sure checks a few boxes should you find yourself in the market for a lovely vintage example. I covered a Hamilton Cross Country a few weeks back, and here's a similar example if that one managed to get its hooks in you. For the Beatles mega-fan in your life, this Old England Apple watch is unlikely to be something they've seen (it's also unlikely to sell for less than 3x the €200 high estimate). This Vacheron Constantin 2045 is just lovely; this Corum bears a shocking resemblance to David Bowie's 1979 SNL performance look, and if there's a cooler tropicalized Carrera up for auction this week than this one, I didn't see it. Omega Suverän You'r...
Monochrome
For RGM Watch Co., the return of the E.F. Bowman name reconnects the Lancaster-based independent with a local watchmaking legacy that goes back to the 19th century, and one that has a direct connection to RGM founder Roland G. Murphy. RGM, based in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, is reviving the name from within the same regional […]
Hodinkee
What We Know In 1932, a 36-year-old woman took a massive gamble early in her career at Blancpain. Betty Fiechter, who had worked for the brand since she was 16, faced a dilemma after the sudden death of the brand's owner, Frederic-Emile Blancpain. Together with commercial director Andre Leal, she helped secure loans to buy the company, even navigating the need to rename the manufacture because the Swiss government prevented anyone but someone with that name from using Blancpain. Fiechter would eventually mentor her nephew, Jean-Jacques Fiechter, and together they would inaugurate two of the brand's most successful icons: the Fifty Fathoms and the Ladybird. The original Ladybird Bullet The launch of the Ladybird in 1956 was a big deal, not just because a woman led a manufacturer in an era when women couldn't even vote in Switzerland. Inside the original Ladybird "Bullet" was the R55, the smallest round mechanical movement, and one with extra durability, with a fifth wheel to limit the force on the escapement and a shock protector on the balance wheel. It remains the smallest round mechanical movement to this day. To honor that watch, Fiechter, and the 70th anniversary of the Ladybird, Blancpain is releasing a new Lady B (for bullet, I'm sure, but also Betty and, according to the brand, bijou or "jewel") with very tiny dimensions. The watch measures a tiny 19mm by 13.2mm in either stainless steel or 18k red gold, with a total volume of only 2.9 cm³. Despite its size, it has...
Time+Tide
Melbourne welcomes Swiss material masters Rado to its retail district with an all-new boutique at 298 Collins Street
SJX Watches
With around 130 people producing just 200 watches per year, Greubel Forsey seems to have returned to its roots and abandoned plans to expand production further. On the latest episode of the SJX Podcast, CEO Michel Nydegger explains why the brand’s approach to watchmaking doesn’t scale and why growth is not a priority. Recorded just after Geneva Watch Days, the conversation covers co-founder Stephen Forsey’s departure from operations, the new Qualité Musée finishing standard, and the challenge of preserving the brand’s distinctive movement architecture in smaller watches. We also discuss the traditional skills behind the Hand Made series, how R&D; is pursued without a particular product in mind, and why (but not how) a watchmaker secretly slipped a dozen handmade hairsprings into regular production watches for unbiased real-world testing. Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.
Monochrome
In many cases, particularly with in-house calibres, movements are the star of the show. Finishing, complexity and technology like silicon components and new escapement designs easily steal the limelight through exhibition case backs, but dials remain the centrepiece and what you see most of the time. Even in the mid-range segment where calibres are off-the-shelf […]
Monochrome
Cyma’s history begins in the 1860s, with the establishment of the Tavannes Watch company in the Swiss Jura, laying the foundation for a manufacture that would become an important name in Swiss watchmaking, even though the Cyma name was only registered in 1903. By the 1920s, the company had grown into one of Europe’s major […]
WatchAdvice
Jaeger-LeCoultre’s new Master Control Chronometre collection is a hit. Now we put the Date Power Reserve model under the microscope… What We Love Great integrated bracelet design, & a first for Jaeger-LeCoultre Super comfortable on the wrist Bridges both sports and dress watch genres easily What We Don’t No lume, so a better watch for day wear vs an all-around sports watch The bezel could be larger or have more detailing for greater balance Need a corrector tool to change the date, so it isn’t easy to do when out and about. Overall Rating: 9.25 / 10 Value for Money: 9/10 Wearability: 9.5/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 9.5/10 Mario has had his say on the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Chronometre Date, but now it’s my turn, and for this review, I’m getting hands-on with the Master Control Chronometre Date Power Reserve. Yes, the name is a mouthful, but that is ok, I’ll forgive Jaeger-LeCoultre as this is (spoiler alert) a fantastic watch that I really had a hard time faulting. Since seeing the full collection first-hand at Watches & Wonders this year, I had been keen on trying them for a longer-term review. I do love the rose gold variants, but the sensible part of me thought it best to give the steel version a try, as this is probably the more everyday-wearing watch, and design-wise, sits nicely between the date model and the perpetual calendar. First Impressions I’ll say this. My first impressions of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Chronomet...
Hodinkee
What We Know Alpina, the value-driven, adventure and outdoor Swiss watch brand, is chasing the sun (and artificial light) with some of its new releases. The brand is now, across more models, utilizing solar quartz movements manufactured by La Joux-Perret, the Swiss movement maker majority-owned by Japan's Citizen Group, which also controls Frederique Constant and Alpina. Solarmetre quartz movements are now available in both the updated Startimer Pilot and Alpiner Extreme models. Solar quartz is a natural fit for Alpina, bringing more reliability, accuracy, convenience, thinness, and value to its lineup. Both Solarmetre quartz models are priced at $1,495, offering an aggressively priced entry point into the brand with a movement also found in LVMH-owned watch brands, including TAG Heuer. The AL-140 caliber, solar quartz by La Joux-Perret, runs for up to 10 months in total darkness after a full charge, boosting the grab-and-go appeal. The shift to solar quartz (both model lines remain available in mechanical automatic versions as well) makes these pieces more practical while shaving millimeters from the case measurements and significant dollars from the price. Let's start with the solar Pilot Startimer. The new look for the pilot watch model was unveiled at Watches and Wonders this year, and now, amid the slew of releases for Geneva Watch Days, Alpina is giving us the Startimer Pilot Solarmetre. Available in three versions: two steel-cased models and one in sand-colo...
Monochrome
The Big Crown Pointer Date has been a staple in the Oris collection since 1938 and is one of the most recognisable designs in Swiss watchmaking. For Geneva Watch Days 2026, Oris reimagines its signature model in a compact 29mm case, creating a more delicate and decorative expression for smaller wrists while carefully preserving the […]
Monochrome
De Bethune, a co-founder of Geneva Watch Days, returns for the seventh edition with a beautiful piece that revisits the brand’s digital time display. Featured across various models, the first digital display appeared in 2006 with a sophisticated in-line calendar displaying the day, date and month, with jumping hours and a scrolling minute disc. Equipped […]
Worn & Wound
It was nearly a year and a half ago that Breitling announced its acquisition of the long defunct Swiss watch brand Gallet. Since then, we’ve been waiting for an official comeback, and now it’s finally here in the year of the Maison’s 200th anniversary. Today marks the beginning of a new era of the historic watchmaker. In the 1800s when Gallet was first founded, La Chaus-de-Fonds was a global hub for watchmaking, giving rise to several legendary brands, including Breitling as well as Heuer, Zenith, and Girard-Perregaux. The period coincided with the Industrial Revolution, which trickled into the field of watchmaking, transforming it from a bespoke craft for the elite to an increasingly accessible craft thanks to growing mass production. The democratization of the watch opened doors for timekeepers to serve as more than a status symbol but a tool for adventurers in the realms of aviation, racing, and sailing. Gallet’s watches went on to time the Wright Brothers’ first powered flight, helped pilots track the time in world cities during the earliest intercontinental flights, and commemorated racing champion Rex Mays’ victory at the Springfield Mile. Gallet continues this lineage while bringing it into the modern era thanks to the technical expertise of Breitling. From the movements powering the models down to details like interchangeable quick release straps, Breitling has revived Gallet with contemporary upgrades while maintaining the original essence of the brand...
WristBuzz
The historic Swiss name relaunches in 2026 with four purpose-built collections, manufactured by Breitling and aimed squarely at the modern adventurer
Fratello
Gallet is returning to the watch industry in 2026, exactly 200 years after its founding in La Chaux-de-Fonds. The historic Swiss name returns as a sibling brand to Breitling, which will manufacture the new watches and provide the infrastructure behind them. The relaunch centers on four collections — Flying Officer, Multichron Pilot, Multichron Sport, and […] Visit Gallet Returns For Its 200th Anniversary With Four New Watch Collections to read the full article.
Monochrome
Akhor, an independent Swiss watch brand spearheaded by Anissa Bader, made its debut one year ago at Geneva Watch Days. Unlike many newcomers to the scene, Akhor benefits from Bader’s ties to Clamax, a watch component and micromechanics manufacturer based in Geneva. The inaugural watch was the poetic Le Temps en Equilibre, based on a […]
Fratello
Tudor just unveiled its new Northflag watch. The name isn’t new, as the brand initially launched this explorer’s model in 2015, just before Baselworld. I clearly recall that launch, which featured Tudor bringing Land Rover Defenders into a dark Swiss forest (ensuring safety) to reveal the watches inside an adventurous tipi tent setup. The Tudor […] Visit A New Adventure With A Familiar Name: The New Tudor Northflag GMT to read the full article.
SJX Watches
For it’s third M.A.D. Edition, MB&F; has reimagined Vincent Calabrese’s signature jumping hours complication. While still allocated via raffle, the M.A.D.3 Vincent Calabrese represents a significant departure for MB&F;’s entry level sub-brand, being the first to fully conceal the winding rotor and the first to be based on a historical design from a notable watchmaker. Initial thoughts Vincent Calabrese is a pioneering independent watchmaker who co-founded the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI) alongside Svend Andersen in 1985. Mr Calabrese is perhaps most well known for developing highly original movements for other brands including the Corum Golden Bridge and the first-ever flying tourbillon wristwatch movement for Blancpain in 1989. But Mr Calabrese also produced watches under his own name, including the Baladin that served as the inspiration for M.A.D.3. Maximilian Büsser and Mr Calabrese have been friends for years and discussed collaborating on a watch project many times, but the M.A.D.3 is their first joint effort. The M.A.D.3 is affordable as such things go, at CHF2,900. That’s roughly equivalent to where original Baladins trade on the secondary market, depending on the specifics. But the M.A.D.3 is a worthy remake in a more contemporary size and should prove more reliable and easier to service when the time comes. For better or worse, the solid value proposition almost dictates a mechanism to manage demand, so buying a M.A.D.3 isn’t a...
Monochrome
Officially launched just two years ago, Gagà Laboratorio is a spin-off of the longstanding Italian luxury designer watchmaker Gagà Milano. The inaugural Labormatic line encapsulates the brand’s highly creative mechanical personality, underscored by 1950s Italian industrial design codes and powered by Swiss La Joux-Perret movements. Instead of traditional hands, the Labormatic displays the digital hours […]
Fratello
Since 2020, Gagà Laboratorio has produced distinctive wristwatches with Italian flair and Swiss precision. The company’s catalog comprises two model lines, the Labormatic and the Aqualab. Both are progressively designed and appear to be the types of pieces that could cost as much as a high-end sports car. However, that couldn’t be further from the […] Visit Even In Titanium, The Gagà Laboratorio Labormatic Superleggero Is No Lightweight to read the full article.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
The new Christopher Ward Trident Biscay pairs vintage styling with COSC-certified movements and pricing aimed squarely at its Swiss rivals.
Fratello
There are watches named after places, people, and the animals their designers admired on long-ago fishing trips. And then there is the Ollech & Wajs Early Bird, a watch named after a satellite. I liked this watch so much that I bought the re-edition. I have a bit of a long-term fascination with the Swiss […] Visit Spending Time With The New Ollech & Wajs Early Bird EB-24 to read the full article.
Hodinkee
Earlier in April, right before the kickoff of Watches and Wonders, Swiss independent Sylvain Pinaud announced his third major creation since the founding of his workshop in 2018. First came his Monopoussoir Chronograph, then arguably the more recognizable time-only Origine series. This third entry in the collection is the pragmatically named Sylvain Pinaud Tourbillon—any guesses what complication this watch holds? I kid, but the new watches are an absolute treat to see and handle in person. Even though the intense wave of new releases from dozens of brands in Geneva may have quickly steered the online conversation away from these new watches toward Jubilee dials and Nautilus desk clocks, these watches did not go unnoticed by collectors. Thirty of them, to be precise. The Sylvain Pinaud Tourbillon was announced in three limited editions of ten pieces each, priced at CHF 180,000, and all three variants sold out within days. But before we get to the new watches, you might be asking what the situation is with the watchmaker these days, given that every decently well-known high-end independent watchmaker seems never to struggle with demand. That's pretty much the case here, too. Long story short, Pinaud and his team of 8 produce around 25 watches per year, and the Origine series has been fully allocated through its planned run through 2027. Given the sell-out of the Tourbillon and the sunsetting of the Origine, it kind of sounds like there isn't much to offer a prospective ...
SJX Watches
A new day is dawning for Credor, which made its Watches & Wonders debut with the Locomotive “Dawn Blue” ref. GCCR995. Designed by Gerald Genta, the Locomotive was once the brand’s flagship sports model in the same vein as its more famous Swiss siblings, but with a quirky integrated-unintegrated bracelet. The obvious quality of the titanium case and bracelet make up for a weak spec sheet, but leave room for the Locomotive to grow alongside the newly international Credor marque. Initial thoughts The Locomotive is a great example of a watch that is more than the sum of its parts. In fact, it’s (almost) inexplicably nice for a watch with such a strange design, a mundane movement, and a micro-adjust-less pin-and-collar bracelet. While it’s cliché to say a watch looks better in person than photographs — and underestimates what a good photographer can do — I would say the Locomotive feels much better in person, like a watch of its price point should. The defining update for this edition of the Locomotive is its embossed dial, which features a repeating hexagon motif. The grooves that fill each cell are oriented at different angles, giving the dial a shimmering personality that changes with shifting light. At some angles, the dial is a uniform blue, while other angles produce an almost chequerboard-like effect. This backdrop is coated with layers of clear lacquer, enabling the Credor wordmark and (superfluous) “Automatic” text to float neatly above the three-d...
Monochrome
Henri Grandjean (1803-1879) was a master watchmaker from Le Locle, renowned for his precision marine chronometers and for his pioneering role in Swiss chronometry. The name was recently revived by entrepreneur and collector Sohail Aziz and positioned as an independent brand specialising in exquisite high-end contemporary haute horlogerie. Making an impressive debut, Henri Grandjean & […]
SJX Watches
Kintaro Hattori is considered the father of the Japanese watch and clock industry, having opened K. Hattori & Co. in Tokyo 145 years ago. Hattori’s humble store eventually evolved into an empire that made Seiko the largest watch manufacturer in the world during the 1980s. To mark the anniversary, Seiko has dressed six of its greatest hits in regal “Edo purple” livery. The standouts include the compass-bezel Alpinist ref. HBC006 built the take on the Japanese Alps, the luxe titanium-and-ceramic Astron Dual-Time Chronograph ref. HAB011, and the spacefaring Rotocall ref. HFL001. Seiko Prospex Alpinist HBC006 Last year, Seiko’s iconic green-and-gilt Alpinist turned 30; this year it turns purple. The Alpinist line dates back to 1959 but this case style launched in 1995, designed by Shigeo Sakai — the same designer responsible for the amusing inflatable Seiko Airpro. The green-and-gilt colourway inspired by Mr Sakai’s Mini Cooper became a sales success, defying conventional wisdom that green watches are niche products. I can’t predict if that will hold true for purple, but with 7,000 units Seiko seems to think it will. The colour is certainly eye-catching, which will help it stand out on social media and boost collectibility. The US$$900 price tag helps too, making it a good value considering its solid specifications. Upmarket details include a Diashield-protected stainless steel case, a sapphire crystal with sapphire date magnifier, an unexpected 200 m test depth,...
![[Video] Extreme Watchmaking Revealed: The Formex Aria And How It’s Made](https://www.fratellowatches.com/cdn-cgi/image/anim=false/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Formex-Aria-Manufacture-Chronometer-Denso-Blue-9.jpg)
Fratello
Formex may be a relatively young name in Swiss watchmaking, but the brand has already made a name for itself thanks to its unique approach. Founded in 1999 and based in Biel, Formex has built its identity around combining mechanical watchmaking with engineering-led solutions. Its watches are known for features such as the patented Case […] Visit [Video] Extreme Watchmaking Revealed: The Formex Aria And How It’s Made to read the full article.
Monochrome
Albishorn, an independent Swiss brand founded in 2024 by Sébastien Chaulmontet, focuses on “imaginary vintage” watches, “what if” models that are visually grounded in the past – but which never existed. A year after its debut, Albishorn released the Marinagraph, a robust skin diver with a patented 10-minute regatta countdown function that “could have” been […]
Hodinkee
What We Know Swiss brand Albishorn, carving out a niche with "imaginary vintage" designs, just released a simplified version of its regatta chronograph with the Marinagraph Classic. I first covered this complication in my hands-on review two years ago with the Albishorn Maxigraph, the brand's debut model and a collaboration with Massena LAB. Since then, the regatta chronograph has lived on under Albishorn's "Water" collection as the Marinagraph, combining the complication with a tide bezel. Today's Marinagraph Classic isn't all that different from the Marinagraph Classic Racing. Visually, the biggest difference is the swap from that colorful aluminum insert tide bezel to a large bidirectional sapphire bezel with more traditional, lumed markings. And yes, there are new dials too. While the sunray-brushed black dial remains, the new dial comes in the form of a white fumé color, with what could have been misconstrued as a shadow in the brand photography actually a subtle dark fade around the edges of the white dial. The black dial sports contrasting silver hands and markers, while the ones on the white fumé dial offer a stark black contrast. On both dials, the ten-minute retrograde regatta countdown scale at 7 o'clock is colored in blue and red, while the chronograph and regatta seconds hands are matched on each dial in either red for the black dial or blue for the white. My favorite feature since the first Maxigraph has been the aperture at 3 o'clock, serving as a running ...
Question, suggestion, or just want to say hi? Drop a note.